Time flies...has it really been THAT long? "first post"

WELL! I keep getting a message at the top of the forum while surfing the site that I've never posted here before. I guess I didn't realize how long I've been out of the loop!

I used to frequent this site back when I rode mountain bike a lot, raced bmx and did road riding and triathlons. At some point (ok, Christmas 2003) my son and I got into dirt bikes (internal combustion motors!) and the biking tailed off. I developed hip issues over the years and actually bought a new road bike and dusted off the mtb to get myself back in shape a couple years ago. Unfortunately my left hip had deteriorated to the point that even the pedaling motion caused enough pain during and after riding that it just wasn't worth it anymore. On September 24th I had left total hip replacement (posterior method) and have just recently started short, easy rides on my road bike set up on my mag trainer. Just thought I'd pop in and check out Passion looking for a lil' motivation. I'll probably be lurking around and, who knows, may even post something up in the future.

Congratulations on your new bionic life! You are probably enjoying life more now that you are getting progressively more pain free. Hang out on that trainer through the winter, build up a new full sus mountain bike (or just give the current mtn bike some love) and you will be set to jet on the trails in the spring.

Congrats. on your new hip.
I'm a bit confused you joined the site in 2008' and never even made one post. Here it is 2013' at 5 years of time and this is your first post. Pardon me if I'm wrong but could you be an alter ego of a long time poster going by a different name. Otherwise known as a "sock puppet". A long hibernation and if so I'm sure this member has several other user names in hibernation and ready to pounce.

Well, I used to post on here. But apparently it's been so long that somehow they were wiped out or something. Dunno!

No grease fitting on the hip, no titanium. Just chromium steel and some "plastic" (uhmw?) lining in the cup. Press fit, type that my bones will grow into. It was what my surgeon recommended for my active lifestyle. Running days are pretty much over, I guess. I look forward to getting strong legs again. My legs have always been skinny and my left one is noticeably smaller than my right. So, I'll be pushing the pedals hard to get back some of that long lost strength!

But thanks for the kind words. When I dusted off the mtb (thinking it'd be helpful with the hip) I did notice a few things that need love, like a new cassette and chain, etc. So I'll keep hitting the trainer through the winter and get the mountain bike ready for spring.

I just realized...join date Sept 2008? I must have REjoined at that time as I was planning on getting back into the sport (hip was an issue, was hoping to make it better....didn't work). I must have had a different username originally. That explains it.

Had my right hip total replacement 3 years ago March and arthroscopic on the left 2 weeks ago yesterday (which should let me enjoy another 2-4 years before having it replaced). It's a fast recovery (was riding singletrack 16 day's post-op on the replacement, and have already gotten in 4 rides on since arthroscopic) if you stay active and ride regularly and my right leg is stronger now than it was at any point in the preceding 2 years of pain and discomfort. Keep riding and getting stronger!

heyyall, I will try to keep my progress updated without boring everyone.

huntermos, good to hear the positive story. I do my PT, walk and now ride the trainer a little. The more I do, the better I feel until I get tired and shaky all of a sudden. Mostly just weak and may still be a little anemic from excessive blood loss during surgery (almost 10 weeks ago now). Still can't reach my foot well enough to tie my own shoes! Not sure how much of that is the paranoia of a dislocation. Unsure of how much I can push the flexibility thing. From the stories I have heard you don't get any pain or warning right before your hip dislocates so I'm kind of freaked out to push the hip/torso angle too much. I want to push more, but am trying to be patient and not screw up and put myself back to square one, or worse.

heyyall, I will try to keep my progress updated without boring everyone.

huntermos, good to hear the positive story. I do my PT, walk and now ride the trainer a little. The more I do, the better I feel until I get tired and shaky all of a sudden. Mostly just weak and may still be a little anemic from excessive blood loss during surgery (almost 10 weeks ago now). Still can't reach my foot well enough to tie my own shoes! Not sure how much of that is the paranoia of a dislocation. Unsure of how much I can push the flexibility thing. From the stories I have heard you don't get any pain or warning right before your hip dislocates so I'm kind of freaked out to push the hip/torso angle too much. I want to push more, but am trying to be patient and not screw up and put myself back to square one, or worse.

Let your physical therapist guide you on the flexibility/dislocation thing; ask them about it.
Also, your body is still recovering from surgery. For me it was about 6 months until I could do a bike ride, yoga, any kind of vigorous exercise without being totally wiped out the next day and I was in great shape pre-surgery. It was just a gradual process of overall healing; my sense was that it was the lingering effects of anesthesia gradually clearing the body, but who knows.
Best wishes for a great recovery.

June Bug did you have THR? I'm really anxious to know how much flexibility I'll be able to enjoy without dislocating. I'm concentrating on getting the joint stable and secure by strengthening the muscles, etc. I don't actually HAVE a therapist, believe it or not. They just sent me home with a list of do's and don'ts and a guide on exercises to do. I've been getting information where I can, but maybe a trip to a qualified therapist is in order.

Willie, from my experience, avoid crossing your legs for sure, but for everything else, you can feel the muscles around the joint -and where they were cut/retracted- and use that as a guide for how far you can push it. While I was back on single track 16 days post-op, driving, longer walks, and any activity where my body mass came down with an impact on the hip took up towards 3 months to feel relatively normal. The majority of the discomfort was the result of the bruising of the muscles down to the knee and associated ligature due to the incision and dislocation of the joint during the procedure. There's also some dull discomfort in the femur as it heals from being cut and having 7 inches of titanium hammered into it. This latter pain lasted about 6 months for me, but was very minor and rarely affected me other then noticing it on occasion. I was riding at my normal speed and intensity within 3 months, and 8 months later when ski season started, I was skiing at my previous intensity as well (I skied for a living for much of the past 20 years, so that was a relief). I've had some pretty hard falls on both bike and skis since the replacement, and had no issues whatsoever as of yet (3 years this coming March). My opinion, based on my experience, is that the dislocation warnings, the supposed long recovery, and the admonitions to go really easy for upwards of a year, are based on the "average" THR patient; one that is in their 70's, wasn't active before the surgery, and is not particularly active afterwards. That said, I wen't into the procedure having ridden through the pain right up to a week before surgery, and I was 44 when I had it done, so hardly a typical THR patient. Obviously, your situation is unique to you, but don't listen to what they say in regards to a "normal" recovery and therapy. Find your limits and constantly -albeit cautiously- push them. Also, while I felt about 80% after 2 months and 90% after 3 months, it took about 18-20 months to feel completely recovered, so be patient and good luck!

Congrats. on your new hip.
I'm a bit confused you joined the site in 2008' and never even made one post. Here it is 2013' at 5 years of time and this is your first post. Pardon me if I'm wrong but could you be an alter ego of a long time poster going by a different name. Otherwise known as a "sock puppet". A long hibernation and if so I'm sure this member has several other user names in hibernation and ready to pounce.

I'm a member of more than one forum I've never posted to, just to use the search function and PM people, and such. Nothing suspicious about it, really.

Well, I used to post on here. But apparently it's been so long that somehow they were wiped out or something. Dunno!

I'm a member of one forum where I once had over 500 posts, now down to zero due to the forum being hacked. Shit happens, so I don't judge by post-count. Someone de-lurking after many years gets more credibility in my book, for some reason, they seem more likely to know what's what.

I had a THR in Oct 2010 with a minimally invasive technique. Healing was slower than I had anticipated, probably because I was always pushing too hard. I also was not sent to any PT, but I went on my own and found it very helpful. By summer 2011, I was 100% back to agressive mtn biking. I still had some issues with hiking and some simple movements (like leaning over to pick the dog dishes up off the floor) for over a year or so, but now 3 years later I never really even think about the titanium/cobalt/ceramic/plastic bits that keep my hip pain free. Good luck to you, willierides!